This invention relates generally to a vehicle control system, and more particularly to methods and systems for universal input and output of vehicle control systems.
At least some known vehicles are powered by a power supply having specific electrical characteristics. The control and input/output devices associated with the vehicle are generally selected to match the electrical characteristics of the power supply. Such characteristics include, for example (but not limited to), voltage, current, and frequency. However, there are many generations of the same type of vehicle and/or there may be a plurality of vendors of the vehicles, with each vendor having particular design proclivities. Vehicles generally have control and sensing component that are powered from the vehicle battery and/or generator. Because of various design choices, vehicles frequently include batteries and electrical systems having different nominal voltages, and control and sensing components are often different and incompatible from vehicle to vehicle. Further, vehicles may traverse territories that include differing wayside or off-board communication protocols. Such diversity makes spare part and replacement part inventories excessively large and may limit a vehicle's mobility into different territories without time consuming and expensive modification.
Currently, vehicles are customized to specifications based on the purchasers' territory, already installed equipment, and modernization attempts. Such an approach limits for example, locomotive, or train type interoperability.